Review: Young Roc’s “Dreams” Is Unusual, Refreshing, And Daring

In Detroit, raw lyricism and flow are the main points of interest in the rap scene. Without either, you’re often either overlooked or chastised. But Young Roc has made a case for choosing to circumvent these rap mainstays and focus on aesthetically daring music that channels lyricism and flow through unconventional means. He traverses through songs on the backs of eclectic melodies and daring production. It’s an amazing feat that has made him someone on our “Must Watch” list. His single “Dreams” only confirms his place as one of the most creative rappers in the city.

The track’s borderline pop production is a daring choice for Roc. Knowing that due to his past music that he’ll be categorized with the more lyric-heavy artists in the city, Roc still chooses to go for the outlandish. It works in its own exciting way. Roc’s vocals on the track match the wackiness of the production, blending pop aesthetics with gritty Detroit angst. It’s a beautiful track that shows just how creative Roc can get.

Review: @LaBritney_ and @kashdoll ‘s “Actin Funny” showcases two of Detroit’s premier artists at their best

It’s nice to see women from Detroit come together and create good music. La’Britney and Kash Doll have hooked up and created a true slapper called “Actin Funny.” Over the bouncy, Bay-Area inspired production, La’Britney and Kash Doll drop off verses about how people treat them once they start getting money. Both artists breath fresh air into the tried-and-true topic and showcase their talents, also showign off some new ones.

La’Britney starts off the proceedings by singing the chorus, and, if you thought she could only sing, be prepared to be suprised. She spits a hard verse; seriously, harder than many rappers who just spit. She showcases her venomous side – her talk of guns and shootouts sounds very believable by her not forcing any images, just talking regulalry. Afterwards, Kash Doll comes in and does her thing as usual. Is it even a question at this point?

Review: @SOBxRBE ‘s “Paramedic!” Is Brilliant, One Of Black Panther Soundtrack’s Best

When Black Panther comes out, people will cause a riot in theaters; partly because the movie has received stellar reviews, but mostly because the soundtrack for the film is of the highest quality. This isn’t an assortment of randomly selected hot songs in pop culture – it’s a carefully curated project by Kendrick Lamar. One of the best songs from the soundtrack comes from the Bay Area’s SOB X RBE collective, the enchanting “Paramedic!”

Kendrick Lamar offers a brief introduction before the tribal beat cuts on, placing listeners in an almost trance-like state. We heard Kilmonger’s name used at the beginning, so it’s reasonable to assume that the song could be related to the movie’s villain. If it is, it makes even more sense – the song has a darkly erotic vibe to it. The chant of “I wish a nigga would,” is long and drawn out, adding to the uniqueness of the track. It’s an enchanting listen that will send the crowd into a frenzy when it comes on during the film.

Review: @Tee_Grizzley Channels Detroit’s Signature Sound In “Colors”

There’s a certain, unconscious sound that makes up the back-end of Detroit’s rap scene. It can be characterized as a bouncy, anti-trap smorgasbord of drums and hi-hats; you won’t find it anywhere else in the country. While difficult to put into words and explain, it’s what has become Detroit’s calling card. The unique sound makes each release from the city easily identifiable and wholly unique, showcasing the city’s individuality in a genre full of copycats and like-sounded individuals.

On Tee Grizzley’s new release “Colors,” this sound is immediately apparent amidst the repeating piano keys that give Detroit’s signature some added vibrancy. Whether he’s riding through Atlanta with Lil Yachty or traveling to California in search of good dope, Grizzley dances upon the track’s light production with ease. It’s a relatively straightforward release – nothing too out of the ordinary in Grizzley’s growing impressive discography – that serves as the first release from his upcoming album Activated.

Where he goes from My Moment remains to be seen. On that project, Grizzley’s initial reach for mainstream prominence caused him to look for a wide discrepancy of beats, checking off the list of probable hits by notable producers. “Colors” is reminiscent of this same sound that was explored on “From The D To The A”; the song may signal a focus towards celebrating the sound that Detroit is known for. If so, it will be an exciting project that will be sure to open the world up to the city’s intricacies.